Search-light.



No. 726,529. 4 L PATENTED APR. 28 1903.

J. L. HALL.

SEARCH LIGHT.

APPLIGATION FILED AUG. 17. 1900.

NO MODEL.

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JOHN L. l'IALL, OF SCHENECTA'DY, YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, ACORPORATION OF YORK.

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:SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Eatent No. 726,529, dated .Aprlil28, 1903.

i Application `filed August 17, 1900. Serial No. 27,132. (No model.) Y

To all whom t muy concern: j

Be it known that l, JOHN L. HALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Schenectady, in the county of Schenectady and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Searcli-Lights, (Oase D, 1,801,) of which the following is a specification. In operating search-light projectors, es.u lo pecially aboard ship, it is imperative at times that some means of control should be provided which admits of operation ata distance for training the projector so as to direct the beam at a desired angle as to altitude and azimuth. This is sometimeseffected electrically and sometimes by means of a system of rope transmission.

My present invention relates to a system of flexible shafting between the projector and 2o the operatingstand, which may lead from the operating-point to the projector around an intervening obstruction. For example, the projector is sometimes mounted on the forward side of a mast, While the operator who z5 trains the projector is some distance behind the mast. I accomplish the result by the employment of a system of operating connections connected together by universal joints, provided with operating-handles at one end 3o and with gearing at the other end by which the two movements of the drum for altitude and azimuth may be independently adjusted. The parts are connected by universal joints and are inclosed one within the other, the outer one being tubular, forming a very compact structure. Below the pedestal of the projector-drum is mounted a system of gearing, one gear-train effecting the rotation of the drum for azimuth and the other being 4o connected by a crank with a reciprocating plunger connected by a link to the projector at a point eccentric to its pivots, thereby permitting it to be raised and lowered on its pivots to elevate or depress the beam of light. The novel features will be more fully pointed out hereinafter, and will be denitely indicated in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation of 5o a system embodying myimprovements. Fig. 2 is a sectional View showing the concentric arrangement of the operating-shafting. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the gearing controlling the movement of the drum, and Fig. 4

jector, mounted, as usual, on pivots trunnioned in the forked arms of a pedestal 2, which may be supported on any suitable 6o frame at the pilot-house of a vessel or other location from which it is desired to rnanipulate the projector. Rigidly connected with the .projector by means of a tubular shaft is a bevel-gear 3, by the rotation of which the drum may be revolved to any suitable angle. Capable of movement vertically Within the tubular shaft is a rod 4,'at the upper end of which 'is lixed a cross-bar on which are journaled links 5 5a,pivoted, as indicated in Fig. 7o 1, to the drum or a casting secured thereto at a point eccentric to its journals. The movements of the rod 4 are controlled by a crank 6, rigid with the axis of a gear-wheel 7, the end of the crank carrying a roller S, engaging a groove in the cross-head 9, fastened to the lower end of the rod 4. Thecross-head is mounted in a guide 10.' The gear-Wheel 7 is connected by a sprocket-chain with a pinion 11, secured to a shaft 12, the outer end of 8o which is connected by a universal joint with, the shaft 12a and the latter by a second joint of the same kind with the shaft 12b, leading to the point of control and provided with a handoperating wheel13. The shafts 12 12a 12b are 85 journaled Within tubular bearings secured to the ends of the tubular shafts 14 14a 14", provided with a second hand-operating Wheel 15.

At the point of control the tubular shaft 141 is journaled in a standard 16, provided with 9o a threaded socket to permit it to be secured to a post or other support at the point of control, as indicated in Fig. 1 at 17. The shaft-sections are connected by universal joints which are of the same size and type and the construction of which is clearly indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. Each shaft end car-v ries a fork the prongs of which are pivoted to a ring or disk, (see Figs. 1 and 2,) one pair of pivots being vertical and the other hori- 1w zontal. The tubular shaft has its ends connected to a ring 18, in which are four setscrews'the heads of which project into and. form journals for the forks of the joints, as will be readily understood from a comparison of Figs. 1 and 2. The couplings are fastened by pins, as indicated in Fig. 2, to the ends of the tubular shaft or to the ends of the rod inclosed within the tubular shaft. The end coupling of the tubular shaft turns in bearings in the supporting-standard 13a, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, and carries a pinion 19, connected by a sprocket-chain with a pinion 20, driving a bevelgear meshing with the gear 3. Thus by a movement of the handle 15, which controls the tubularshaft system, the gear may be rotated more or less and the pedestal of the projector correspondingly shifted, so as to adj ust the beam at any desired angle in a horizontal plane. Similarly, a movement of the handle 13 operates the solid inner-shaft system and rotates the shaft 12, thereby operating through the sprocket-chains the gearwheel 7 and turning the crank 6 through any desired angle, so as to tilt theprojector in a vertical plane. By reason of the universal joints'the operating-stand may be placed at a considerable angle to the projector and the shafting may be led around an obstruction. The intermediate sections of the shafts 1,2 14:ad may be of any desired length, so thatv the operating-stand may be put at any desired point.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. Means for manipulating a search-light projector, comprising two concentric and independent shaft systems between the point of control and the projector, said shaft systems being provided with universal joints,

and connections of the two systems respectively with the projector for making adjustments in dierent planes.

2. Means'for manipulating a search-light projector, comprising operating devices at the point of control for training the beam in azimuth or altitude, and two shaft systems one inclosed within the other, each composed of a plurality of parts connected by universal joints.

3. Means for manipulating a search-light projector, comprising gearing at the base of the projector for rotating the drum in a vertical and horizontal plane respectively, operating-handles at the point of control, and two or more systems of shafting one inclosed within the other, each composed of several parts connected by universal joints, connecting the operating-handles to the gearing.

4. Means for manipulating a search-light projector, comprisinga pedestal, a drum trunnioncd thereon, gearing for rotating the pedestal, a vertically-movable rod linked to the drum at a point eccentric to its axis, a crank for reciprocating the rod, two shaft systems, each formed of a plurality of concentric sections connected together by universal joints and acting upon gearing connecting with theI rod and pedestal, and operating devices at the point of control for independently rotating the shafts.

5. Means for manipulating a search-light projector, comprising two concentric systems of iieXible shafting, connections between the drum and shaft systems for rotating the drum in a horizontal or a vertical plane, and independent manipulating devices for the two systems of shafting.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day of August, A. D. 1900.

JOHN L.y HALL.

Witnesses:

BENJAMIN B. HULL, MARGARET E. WooLLEY. 

